Where No Birds Sing
by BlackTigerJinko
Summary: The Echo Sector is a small sector consisted of gifted child soldiers that only respond to Mori's demands. For them the Dark Era never ends, until Mori says it does. Multiple of OCs.
1. The Yellow Wallpaper

**Trigger Warning: Slight pedophilia, mentions of forced death and insanity. **

It started after operation Mimic, that one of Port Mafia's most controversial had been a relapse, the Echo sector, a formerly large scale sector of extremely gifted child soldiers make up Mori's shadow ranks, known solely answering to Mori's demands, which may often lead to dirty work. The sector was formerly occupied by at least 50 soldiers, before Mimic and after a mass terrorist explosives exploded along Mafia warehouses, only three survivors were documented, before a new wave of child soldiers were placed in the sector. Presently, there are 8 members, known their immaculate team work and assimilation within Yokohama. Echoes are frequently solitary in collective operations executed by the Port Mafia and do not go into combat unless in dire need those who are on duty are seen wearing a dark grey sleeved jumpsuit with a high-collar and a hood, along with choke collars that monitor their activities.

* * *

Yukino had always known about Echoes, being under Chuuya's tutelage had made sure that she encountered them often, if not indirectly.

It had been just after Mimic and Dazai's escape from the Mafia's clutches, where she met him. The first time that Yukino had noticed him , it had been nothing but a fleeting glance. It had been quite late in the evening and Chuuya and his protege were starting to walk home. It had been an unsettling feeling, that feeling you get when someone stares without battering an eye. A part of her, hoped it had been Dazai, but he left a few weeks ago, far away from the Port Mafia and the memories of Mimic at least. It had been clawing at the back of her mind and it seemed as if the tiger felt that too, as she urged her to turn her head. Yukino spared this person a glance fluttering her eyelashes downwards to hide her own focus. It had been a dull spark of recognition, Aldous Huxley, a boy of 15 years that she had seen lash out on others in rage, he had a rising temper she noted. His eyes clashed with her heterochromatic ones, dull recognition flashed in his eyes of brown like the mud one sees after rainfall. To her surprise, had his eyes of muddy brown been littered with small flecks of gold as the setting sun spread its light towards him.

However, he was also the reminder of her own fate, the little girl was to be transferred the Echo sector next week at the lastest, meaning Yukino would leave Chuuya's side, they never talked about it , because regardless of her desire to stay with Chuuya, she was to be sent into the force.

"Yukino? What's wrong?"

Yukino turned towards Chuuya who seemed to be rather confused and looked towards where Huxley was. She turned back, but when she did, Aldous Huxley had already disappeared from her sight. Yukino turned back to Chuuya before once again before shaking her head slightly.

"Nothing."

Yukino didn't see him until a week after our small interaction.

* * *

Mori had called Yukino up to his office and had proceeded to introduce her to a familiar face, along with a foreign one. She had been 11 years of age at that time, Huxley had been at least 4 years her senior, at 15. There's was this saying, 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'. Yukino pride herself in doing just that. Never underestimate thy enemy, never overestimate thy enemy, and meeting Aldous Huxley the second time was like a ripe explosive that was ready to explode if he hadn't already.

He had a pair of lungs. A really good pair. He was yelling, shouting profanities, the lot. He was unafraid she noted, unafraid of Mori, had no respect and all you could see was that same balanced smile on Mori's face with amusement and a sense of fondness lurking in his eyes.

"WHY DO _I_ HAVE TO DO IT?!"

"IF SHE'S SO _FUCKING_ GIFTED THEN JUST MAKE HER AN EXECUTIVE!"

"WHY AM I BABYSITTING THIS KID?!"

"# !%*$$# #!"

Yukino couldn't help but think of Chuuya and Akutagawa, in this situation. Like if Chuuya and Akutagawa had a child with an American surrogate mother and then proceeded to make him the most angsty child that the world could allow. That would be him. **Don't argue.**

The black tiger flicks its tail side to side in blatant irritation, giving a little growl before turning away from the scene in her mind. The one-sided yelling had yet to cease and Yukino finds her attention directed towards a young woman awkwardly standing towards the side, peering downwards, shoulders slouching. She honestly didn't seem all that much, but Yukino couldn't say anything, that womanvcould've been a wolf in sheep's clothing. All Yukino could really see was her frizzy mousy hair that was tied into a short pony tail with red ribbon. She was rather tall, perhaps near her adulthood.

By the time, Yukino had drew attention away, Huxley had already quietened down, but still remained red from anger. Mori had his stare fixated onto the new comer, before making a little open- handed gesture towards .

"This is Nakajima Yukino-chan, a new recruit within the Echo sector, she was formerly under Nakahara Chuuya, with a Fraternal Ability, **'Beast Beneath the Moonlight'**, a transformation ability and into a black tiger."

A **Fraternal Ability User**, was an occurrence only found in siblings of different sexes. It functions like a normal ability, before a extended amount of time as it will slowly consume the owner's health. But that type of user itself was rare, in fact, majority of Fraternal Ability Users wouldn't know they had an ability, because their abilities would unconsciously activate themselves until the user's body couldn't uphold their gifts eroding away into husks.

"Nakajima-chan here, is present for her first mission, like a try out of course. Although it would be just you three, Atwood is still recovering from the incident._ Its such a shame._" Mori droned in a faux depressed tone.

Yukino looks in the corner of her eye to see the girl had already looked up, with a European features set on Mori, she had a rather sharp features, that one would think of nobility, with eyes of glistening marine, even with her pursed lips, she had looked rather pretty.

"This is Charlotte Perkins Gilman-kun, an American- native with the ability '**Yellow Wallpaper**', she can send her foes into a sense of mad delirium and hallucinations of garish yellow wallpaper."

She turns towards Yukino, her face softens into a maternal look before giving me a small friendly wave. Yukino nods her head stiffly before bowing sightly.

"This is Aldous Huxley-kun, another American- native with the ability '**Brave New World**', he can conjure pressure fields which can cause physical entities to implode on itself. The barriers are inconsistent and can only be controlled through extreme anger or grief."

Huxley does nothing but gives the newest recuit, a hard stare, which she responded by bowing slightly in greeting.

"As you know, Echoes are the shadow ranks of the Port Mafia, a fundamental workforce that upholds core values of the Port Mafia at whatever cost, protecting and executing the wills of the Port Mafia. Most importantly, as Echoes you only answer to me, any form of failure will lead to public execution done by myself in the eyes of those in this particular work force."

Mori's smile instantly sharpens, taking out a file to give to Huxley which he takes and flicks through before seemingly gripping the file tighter in silent anger. Mori takes no heed and ignores Huxley's turmoil.

" I want you three to retrieve some things for me from Nori-san, one of the heads of the Japanese Yakuza, we're generally on great terms but he seems to demanding more and more these days. If I remember correctly, he seems to have a soft spot for _little girls_."

The office had dropped 10 degrees after that, as Huxley and Gilman had their eyes trained on the ravenette, dread filled Yukino's stomach and clenching her hands curled into small fists.

"Nori-san must **not be killed**. He is one of the Mafia's only allies within the Yakuza. Failure will be dealt with something worse than death. _Do you understand_?"

They nod numbly, before Mori tells the newest Echo to step forward and places a vibrant red kimono and oboko shoes in my hands, although it had been quite a beautiful kimono with woven pale pink peonies and oboko with vibrant red straps that would essentially raise my 155 cm of height, Yukino couldn't bring herself to admire it.

Mori gives a closed eye smile.

"Right then, off you go."

When nightfall came, Yukino had found myself at the reception at the main Port Mafia building, wearing exactly what Mori had given her, with okobo shoes with red straps that jingled its bell within the shoe as she walked. Yukino found herself hating that bell, as every step meant her inevitable fate, it had jingled delicately as if it were mocking her dire situation. The girl hated it. She felt rather numb and as she saw Gilman and Huxley walk through the doors in their over-size high collar jumpsuits and hooded, dampened her mood even more.

Each step came with unease and dread and although Yukino wanted to stop, her body had gone on autopilot, walking causally along the secluded alleys, the bell just didn't stop, ringing into her ears. the new Echo didn't want to know where she was going, nor did she want to know, keeping her head down, she trudged along before bumping into Huxley as he stopped but he never spared her a glance. Looking up to see a sign in neon lights, she found herself in front of a pub.

Huxley grabs harshly onto Yukino's wrist, pulling her in, the overbearing smell of alcohol wafts its way into her nose and she scrunches her delicate face. The boy walks over towards the bartender, giving him an identification of some sort and the bartender guides upstairs into an area of suffocating smoke, into a private room. The room had been even worse as smoke hung like a heavy fog across the room and at a closer look it was much like those of fancy hotel rooms one would see on TV, draped in a dingy royal red, along with golden accents, it seemed that through overuse and smoke dulled its appeal.

In the middle of the room had been a paunch man sitting lazily on a fainting sofa, he had been covered in dreary blue robes and a fat cigar in hand, smirking and dragging his eyes towards the children, lingering his eyes onto the youngest addition, that was until Yukino shifted towards Huxley.

"What are little lambs lingering here for?"

"Mori-san sent them here, Nori-sama." the bartender bowed in unease.

The Yakuza man gave an amused booming laugh, before dismissing the bartender and settling on the Echoes.

"Has Mori-san lost his touch? Sending mere children to a man's lair, its almost endearing, especially with the little girl over there."

Huxley purses his lips but seems to manage in keeping calm.

"I'm sure that an infamous Yakuza head like yourself knows that Mori-san needs those files you have possession, Mori knows material wealth is but a civil matter to you. We have taken account of your preferences in female partners, so Mori-san has sent a female that fit your personal criteria.

This is Sa-chan, 11 years old and is as pure as one can get."

I looked at Huxley, Sa-chan had not been my name.

Yukino had the missed feral smirk and gleaming eyes of the older man, but Huxley did not, as he pushed her lightly towards the man, clenching his teeth tightly. She stumbles a bit before walking stiffly towards the man, stopping at an arm's length distance.

He takes my hand with his pudgy hands and lifts it to inspect with his beady eyes, stroking the back of Yukino's hand that making her almost rear back.

"So small and smooth, like a doll's hand..."

He looks up at Yukino, and the little girl stares back with dead eyes.

"Sa-chan needs those files right?"

She could only nod in obedience and in return he takes the files from the table next to the sofa and pushes it against her chest roughly.

"Sa-chan should bring those back to her friend quickly, I'm not a patient man _Sa-chan_."

Yukino turned to give it to Huxley who takes it with gritted teeth, Gilman had her fists clenched and gave the younger girl a pitiful look. Huxley bows stiffly before leaving.

"We'll be in the hall._ Mori-san_ needs her out by 11."

Nori-san only grunts in response, Yukino didn't want Huxley or Gilman to go, but despite her turmoil, they had left. The man pulls her obi away and Yukino struggle in defiance, my protest was ignored as he starts to touch me, and each caress and linger feels like fire searing into her skin. But her struggle starts to die down as she become tired and all Yukino could hope for was nothing too extreme. He avoided private areas but runs his leg among her thighs, Yukino didn't want to think of his lingering presence anymore.

Instead, she focused on the smoke, it made her mind hazy and she hated it, Yukino found myself listening things that she hated about the overwhelming smoke, his burnt cigar, everything she could think of. Her mind even drifted into the past, just to escape his unwelcome touches. She thought of my brother. His uneven haircut, his kind yet frightened eyes, really, anything. But when his hand falls to her backside, Yukino open opens her mouth to scream in protest.

He suddenly pushes me off and his hands flail around in panic.

"_DON'T TOUCH ME! DON"T TOUCH ME!_"

Yukino could only stare in shock as Nori-san threw frantic punches in the air, Yukino, herself was tipped over by his movement, falling on her butt. The door opened and Gilman runs to Yukino, wrapping the kimono around her, tying the obi in a flimsy knot, whilst Huxley takes the oboko. Although Yukino tried to ask them about what had happened Huxley silenced her.

"Run now, we'll tell you later! "

They rush outside, adrenaline running through their veins, before hearing a gunshot go off. We run, with Gilman's hand latched on the younger girl's wrist, tugging her along, stopping in front of a small unit of soft tan, Huxley fumbles for for his keys before pulling Yukino in as the door is opened.

Huxley pushes Yukino into the bathroom before leaving her to stare at herself in the mirror, her hair was tangled into a mess and the kimono was barely together with Gilman's flimsy obi knot. Huxley comes back with a set of over sized clothes.

"Wear this."

Yukino had ended up wearing a grey shirt and checkered boxers and forced to sit awkwardly on one of Huxley's brown plush chairs in the living room, with Huxley situated across, Gilman had not been present.

"Where is Gilman-san?" She asked.

"She's giving Mori-san the file and a recount of the mission." Huxley curtly answered.

"What happened there? "

Huxley gave the girl a look, before relenting with a sigh.

"That was Gilman's ability, 'Yellow Wallpaper', it gives people hallucinations of garish yellow wallpaper. "

They stay silent for a few seconds before Huxley continues.

"It's said that there is a demon woman lurking behind the walls of the hallucination, although I've never seen it before, its said that it's one of the scariest things you'll ever see. I've seen people driven mad from it. "

Frankly, Yukino felt a sense of relief but a dare not show it, instead she looked outside the window, thinking of the the American woman. Huxley and Yukino both knew the consequence of their actions on the mission. They tried to not think about it but soon dread had overcome them. They knew she couldn't lie, not to Mori at least. Trying to convince ourselves at this point, they stared at each other in silence before Huxley speaks up.

"She'll come back."

_She never came back._

* * *

The next time they saw saw the American woman, it had been 4 weeks later, Mori had summoned them all to his office along with Atwood who Yukino had been acquainted a few weeks back. When they had entered, their eyes widened in panic and fear at who was laying wailing on the floor.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman.

Her bushy brown hair was matted and tangled into a crazed state, her eyes of oceanic blue dulled and clouded and she seemed to have lost weight into a skeletal figure. She was driven into insanity.

"_I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! I SHOULD'NT HAVE-_"

Mori continued to ignore her, facing the other Echoes with a tight smile, taking his gloved hand and digging into her hair, pulling her body upwards. He grabs a gun from his desk forcing it against Gilman's head.

"_This_ is what happens when you _fail_ a mission."

The Echoes couldn't brace from it and their internal screams for salvation were silenced before they could even come out.

"_I'M SORRY! I'M SOR-_"

Gilman's body hits the floor, like a husk, blood drenching her hair.

Mori gives a dismissive wave.

"Make sure you don't fail next time _ok_?"

The children trudged out the office in a airy daze, before Atwood breaks down with silent tears .

Yukino says nothing in return as she was faced with painful reality.

The fact that she never got to thank Gilman and her ability for saving her. It would haunt her forever.

And that this had been the true nature of the Port Mafia.


	2. Great Expectations

The Echo Sector never changed even after Gilman died, other than Margret Atwood's distaste towards men, or Mori in this case. But a wave of Echoes surfaced and presently consisted of 8 members. All Echoes were to be a subordinate or a similar position, training with a Mafia Executive before a consideration from Mori can be made. They were rather a dysfunctional sector, they were unusual children, they were simply little husks waiting the cold metal nozzle of the gun against their heads. Some were madly insane with mental disorders, some live in fear and others attempted to ignore such possible unfortunate ends.

* * *

Caressing fingers drifted upon my thighs, seemingly burning into the girl's flesh.

"Sa-chan...you're so cute...I just eat you up."

She couldn't take it anymore, opening her mouth to scream but the sound seemed to have just died in her throat.

This time the girl did anything, anything she could to get out of that man's hold, thrashing around and opening her mouth to scream again but someone else seemed to pull her out of it.

OI...

OI...

OI..

OI! Wake up, Yukino!

Her eyes shot wide open, blurry from sleep, still frantically looking to find her tormentor, but instead, a dominant dark orange was salient in her vision, her mind was hazy and Yukino attempt to thrash around once again.

"Its me Yukino! Its Chuuya!

Nakahara-san...

The girl instantly stops, allowing her eyes to focus, a worried motherly face floods her sight, something she find Koyo-san doing often when passing the younger member in the Port Mafia headquarters.

Yukino takes a deep breath before sitting up.

"I'm okay..."

She's okay.

"Want to talk about it? I'll call Huxley if you'd like?" Chuuya inquired whilst tangling his gloved hand into her hair.

The burning hand flashes in her mind before she speaks.

"Its just the orphanage."

He says nothing else but can see the doubt in his eyes, he ruffles Yukino's hair before allowing her to stand, he stays in her room whilst the ravenette walks to her closet to pick out a kimono and socks.

"You're on scout duty today right?"

She makes a noise of agreement casually taking out a nicer kimono of ivory with simple red flowers with three yellow dots in the middle, embroidered with lime green leaves and a yellow littered in a consistent fashion. The obi itself had been a tan colour with hexagonal patterns in woven golden thread.

Quickly slipping a nagajuban (Kimono undershirt) that had white collar, Yukino slipped on the kimono folding the left flap over her right flap before handing the obi to Chuuya, who slides the obi around herstomach and proceeds to tie a fukuro knot. The knot itself was rather inappropriate for such an occasion, but Chuuya had been adamant on it. It seemed rather fashionable.

Yukino ties her hair into a tight bun before feeling an ornament slip into her hair, a red hana kanzashi (Flower hair ornament), recognising from fiddling with the trailing red petals that cascaded on a string.

Scout duty was basically an over-time shift which meant assimilating into society and observe for any disturbances among Yokohama and by night mafia operations would overtake the scouting so it would mean the people on shift get to go home. But Echoes are always on call and work was never really over until Mori had said so. Meals were skipped until for work until her own break at 3:00 in the afternoon. Partners would switch every week to ensure effective teamwork and only half of the sector would be on duty at once whilst the others are set to monitor prisoners or other work on other assignments. Everyone was no doubt worked to the bone in the Echo sector.

Yukino walked out of their shared apartment but not giving Chuya, a brief hug. The designated group met in front of the Mafia's storage houses before departing, it had been her and Ray Bradbury, as well as Ishiguro Kazuo and Sun Tzu on duty today. There was other new members, Pin Yathay a Cambodian who preferred to stay within the walls of headquarters to work on explosives. Or Hans Fallada, a German teen who seemed to be in a constant slouchy state, unable to eyes of others, staring dreamily at the ground.

"Why...Yu-chan aren't you looking dapper today..." A faux easy-going voice droned.

She could recognise that voice anywhere, that distinctive psychopathic arrogance.

Yukino turned to see familar honey blonde.

"Bradbury-san"

* * *

Ray Bradbury, a pyromaniac American with tousled honey blonde hair with irises of cyber yellow that always seem to hold a gleam of demented glee. However unlike most mentally unstable individuals, he seemed to hold himself quite well, putting himself in high regard, in all, he is a lunatic.

He is rather unnerving and for a good reason, he is perhaps one of most destructive in our sector. '**Fahrenheit**', his ability to make objects combust by hand contact, the severity of the burn was purely up to him, and when I had experienced Fahrenheit for the first time, it burnt to the bone, like napalm. He goes into strange laughing fits sometimes, it can be classified as a Pseudobulbar Effect.

* * *

He smiles, plastered on his face and gestures at his clothes.

"Well, what do you think Yu-chan? Do I look handsome or what?"

Yukino spares a look at his attire, an open white collar shirt that had a black shirt underneath, along with a black military blazer with gold buttons and metal detailing on the shoulders, with black dress pants and heeled shoes.

"Its adequate..."

He didn't seem to mind her off-handed comment, something that never ceases to surprise the girl, in consideration...

"I hope we have fun today, Yu-chan." He mocking cooed.

She gives him a polite smile.

"As do I."

"I hope that we're not interrupting anything. But it would've been funny if we did."

We turn to see Ishiguro with a cocky smile and a sullen looking Tzu, crossing his arms.

"Good morning to you too Ishiguro-san..Tzu-san." I chorused blandly.

* * *

Ishiguro Kazuo, a Japanese boy who has shaggy black hair and grey eyes who seems to prolong his syllables, due to his upbringing in England. He has unmanageable arrogance with a superiority complex that has died down upon his transition to the sector.

Despite this, his ability, '**Never Let Me Go**' allows him to manipulate organs and cells of other people's bodies through contractions by squeezing his hand. It is also to be noted that he has extensive knowledge of medicine and anatomy. Among the sector he is known for dissecting things.

* * *

"You're looking more like a woman each day, Tzu-chan, perhaps you should just cut it off." Bradbury mocked, gesturing at his crotch.

Tzu turned read in anger, opening his mouth to yell at the blonde, before getting interrupted by Ishiguro.

"I want to take the positions at the port and the storage houses! Hopefully I can catch some fish to test some things..." Ishiguro said, putting a hand up.

Tzu swivels to turn around to Ishiguro, directing his anger towards the cocky boy.

"This is why I hate working with you, you always slack off to try and find an animal that you can cut open!" Tzu snarled.

* * *

Sun Tzu, a Chinese boy who is rather feminine looking with black piggy tails on the side his head and onyx eyes that he always attempts to scowl and squint with in attempts to seem more masculine. He has Hikimayu eyebrows that seem rather comedic on his face. He has a Napoleon complex due to his height of 159 cm, along with a militarist mind but is ultimately easy to rile.

His ability, '**Art of War**' slows down time for everybody including himself, but during his slowed time, Tzu takes in details, factors into how others may act. It has been said that in a single second, he is able to prepare against any outcome from the information he can derive.

* * *

In the end, Bradbury and Yukino had left the bickering pair alone and into the main streets of Yokohama, there wasn't really much to do after that but observe for potentials disruptions, it honestly wasn't logically achievable in consideration of the size of Yokohama but no one could complain in fear of Mori. It was easier to just find some people and listen to their gossip. But life in Yokohama was rather slow so there were less actual reports of disruptions than something actually happening.

It seemed that the town gossip for the past few days had been a white tiger, which Huxley reported back a few days ago, during his walk back home, they had been ordered to look out for it, although Yukino couldn't care less, Bradbury seemed adamant to find it.

They had ended up not finding anything, settling down in a small empty cafe with black coffees. By then Bradbury's frustration was apparent, his plastered smile slowly turned into a scowl with his eyes holding rage and annoyance.

"Why can't I find that stupid tiger?" he murmured in distaste.

Yukino held my tongue, regardless of his talent with his ability and intelligence, his somewhat easy frustration made rather what's that word she was looking for? Oh yes, 'stupid' and he could be so very stupid. No one finds a tiger in broad daylight and all she wanted to do was smack his head.

" If I don't find it, Mori-san and Ace-san would never acknowledge me..."

There was that too, the strange infatuation he had for his superiors, first it had been Ace-san, Huxley and Bradbury's former mentor and then proceeded to project his fixation towards Mori who seemed well informed of this particular circumstance, acts fuel to the existing fire.

A hand then slowly reaches to touch the girl's on the table and she instinctively flinches, looking up to see Bradbury's now amused and calculating eyes, he wants something.

"Hey Yu-chan.."

He was coaxing, attempting to establish false atmosphere so Yukino would give out information.

"Hmm?"

"Does Aldous have any weaknesses?"

And there it was, the one-sided rivalry that Bradbury had with Huxley, Huxley was the bane of his existence, oh how the feeling was mutual. It also wasn't a secret that Mori seemed to like Huxley the most out of the sector, it was blatant favoritism but it was there.

"Not that I know of..." Yukino says carefully

'Even if I did, its still none of your business'

Bradbury scowled at my answer, eyes darkening and glaring down at his coffee cup with his hands circled around it.

"Its not fair..." He whispered.

"He always gets what he wants, that entitled bastard."

His grip tightens around the cup and his curses were getting louder.

"He always takes everything away from me"

"I HATE HIM!"

The cup with shattered in his hands, with coffee drenched on his table, dripping onto the floor.

Bradbury starts to shake and belts out a laughing episode.

"ha-Ha-HA-HAHAHAHAHA!"

Yukino creases her eyebrows in irritation and sighs as the workers at the cafe look over with concerned eyes.

'There he goes again...'

Yukino really had half a mind to leave him here at the cafe, but she knew, she couldn't. Standing up the girl made way to the counter to pay for the broken cup and the bill before for her co-workers behavior.

Walking towards the door, she gives Bradbury a dismissive wave.

"I'm leaving without you."

'And 3'

'2'

'1'

Bradbury rushed up to meet her slow pace.

"That wasn't very nice, not at all!" He mocked.

Yukino scoffs at his statement before giving him an exasperated stare.

"You were doing it again."

Peaceful silence was what overcame the two teens before Bradbury broke it.

"I still want to find that tiger, for Mori-san and Ace-san."

'And he never stops, I'm staring to see why Huxley-san hates him so much'

She really was out of it, because Yukino had bumped into a man, leading her to fall back.

"Utmost apologies young Miss."

Her head snaps up to see a middle aged man, who seemed to have accented Japanese and English.

Bradbury froze and blinked several times, as the foregin man helped Yukino up. He had blonde combed hair and blue eyes, suited in creamy yellow with a white shirt and tie.

"Oh no sir! I'm the one at fault. I wasn't looking where I was going." Yukino said bowing deeply.

When we had left, Bradbury gave me an odd look.

"You never just bump into people, something in that delicate mind of yours?" He sneered.

I gave him a glance.

"Perhaps."

They remained silent for the rest of the day, Bradbury wondered off at certain intervals but always seemed to come back to her side with half an hour maximum. He was a bipolar figure, someone that nobody could understand, with a lack of momentum along with strange fixations and grudges that seemed be abrupt. But in comparison to Akutagawa's Senpai Issues, Bradbury seemed rather docile.

Yukino looked towards the soft oranges that filled that sky with creamy hues, the colours bought her a rare sense of tranquility that she wasn't able to experience through her line of work. It was a privilege. Such emotions were brief and Yukino couldn't enjoy its brilliance from the sidewalk that sloped down into grassy earth and a clear stream.

Setting her eyes on the grassy land, she felt my eyes widen and her body freeze, a man and a boy had been occupied down there whom to both she recognises. The man had been wet, perhaps tried to drown himself in the stream, his signature messy black locks still the same from his affiliation within the Port Mafia.

'Dazai-san...'

The boy, on the other hand had hair of light grey asymmetric fringe, turning towards the man, brought attention to the opal-like hues of his heterochromatic eyes, that were much like her own of black and yellow.

'Ni-san...'

It seemed as if her past had came back to haunt her fully now and it seemed that even the black tiger that occupied Yukino's mindscape was brought to full attention to the men, she couldn't move. Until a cold hand reached out to grab her hand and it seemed to take the girl out of trance. It was Bradbury.

"What has gotten your attention, so intensely Yu-chan?" His mocking voice called as he turned to what Yukino had been once looking at. His smile sharpens into a sadistic sneer, as he pulls her along.

"Let's go report back to Mori-san, Yu-chan. He'll be interested in this new development."

Her stomach couldn't help but churn at his statement.


	3. Foundations

I won't be able to update in a while cause I have to prepare for HSC and Trials so please be patient. I should be able to upload one more chapter after this.

* * *

"What an interesting development, Dazai-kun you say? How is he going by the way? Does he look well?"

Bradbury's plan had backfired, it really did, as all the Echoes gathered in Mori's office to hear him gush about Dazai for a good twenty minutes before debriefing for a potential operation. Yukino had tuned it out, focused on Bradbury's hand that had been curling and uncurling for the duration of Mori's praise for someone who had long left the Mafia. It really did not him any justice, and boy, did Mori know it.

The Echoes stayed silent, silent until Mori himself said so, it was how things worked within the sector. Until Mori gave them orders, they stayed quiet, it was certainly a long wait, for Mori to stop gushing about Dazai, Elise, whom had been situated by his side, seemed irked as ever. It was another 5 minutes before Mori stopped, with the Echoes standing like statues, waiting to receive their orders.

"As you know, there has been a bounty issued amongst the market for a white tiger for 7 billion yen, an ability user. We have a lead thanks to Bradbury-kun, Dazai-kun doesn't just pick anybody off the streets, therefore it could mean the street rat is our searched ability user. I have put Akutagawa-kun on the case, however this is not your fight until I say it is. If an Agency member is sighted, do not engage. Is that **clear**?"

He turns to Pin Yathay and Sun Tzu.

"Yathay-kun, I want the explosive and transmitter ready by tomorrow, for Kyouka-kun."

* * *

Pin Yathay (17 years old), Cambodian and Tzu's partner who is somewhat cowardly but nonetheless dangerous. He is soft-spoken by nature leading to Tzu reprehending him constantly, however still possesses a cruel and ruthless streak when needed.

His ability **'Staying Alive'** allows teleportation from danger, this ability has no combat use but allow Pin to stay alive as long as possible and is only for self-use. Yathay is a boy of 177cm with a black messy bowl haircut and prolonged fringe, along with black eyes and tan skin, his ability seems to match his soft spoken nature, but it cannot be activated by will, it is rather an instinct. He excels in engineering and is the creator of majority of the Mafia's latest weaponry and gear.

* * *

"Aldous-kun, ensure everything runs smoothly, have Nakajima-chan come with you."

He turns to the youngest of the group.

"I've met there issuer of the bounty personally and we've agreed to let them _borrow _you, Aldous-kun will escort you to the a junction we have agreed to meet them in. Serve them for the time being if you must, but remember that your true loyalties are _mine, _and _mine alone_."

He gives Huxley a thick file and a large packet of coloured candy, he opens the file, reading its contents.

"There has been concerning new product out within the supermarkets in Japan, a packet of candy that has been largely popular with the overall population, however, there have been a large amount of deaths that has been trending amongst the bigger cities in Japan. The Government and the police force have be stumped for a while and have been _nice enough to reach out to us_."

"So this is a grey area job?" Atwood spoke with half-lided eyes.

* * *

Margret Atwood (19 years old), Canadian and Ishuguro's partner with who is argumentative by nature. Atwood is a girl of 165cm and is mostly distinguished by her short chestnut brown hair, with acid green eyes and doll-like face that often hold a gleam or disgust.

**'Offred's Will'** allows Atwood occupy others' body in a stagnant position for 10 seconds from a 100 metre radius. She is unable to do anything with her host's body or her own during this time.

* * *

The sector barely had any grey area jobs issued by the authorities, however this could purely stem from one of the Port Mafia's branching companies, the Mafia owned a few forensic labs within Japan, if it had gotten into Mori's ears, then the issue would be of high concern.

"Of course the authorities haven't really reached out to us, we're just speeding up the completion of this case, but their concern for safety is of our own. Our team of scientists have discovered a high percentage of super hybrid drugs. All autopsies have concluded deaths of overdose to this particular product and have been off the shelves since yesterday."

The Mafia leader's face sobered, along with his voice that went into a drawl.

"Your job will be to find the company's ingredients concerning this new drug and find its source, report back to me. Dismissed."

He gave them a wave of dismissal, the Echoes bowed before leaving, separating once out of headquarters, however Tzu and Yukino often went home together, they lived next to each other in the apartment complex. He lived alone whilst Yukino lived with Chuya, but they liked to check on the Chinese boy once in a while.

These had been one of those nights, where Yukino cooked for Tzu and Chuya, who was still at headquarters. They weren't really talkative people, Tzu and Yukino, but they were thick as thieves and generally worked well together. Often did they give off-handed comments to express concerns for one another. Not that anyone would witness it.

Sleeping lightly that night, Yukino woke up early to meet Huxley in front of headquarters, whom was not happy to meet her so early in the morning. He was not a morning person, and that standard jumpsuit of dark grey that matched her own, made the American look even more unwelcoming than he had ever been. But who was she to talk? For Yukino's own segmental heterochromia of yellow and black looked rather intimidating, if it weren't for her short stature.

"You're here? Let's go, I'm not in the mood today." Huxley grumbled.

To be frank, Huxley was never in a good mood, always sullen and frowning, Yukino had never seen him smile during her occupancy in the sector, in fact, if he smiled one day, she would be sure to run the other way.

With two paces behind Huxley, they walked into the area of the Mafia storage houses, before waiting for the issuer to arrive.

The issuer didn't come and instead two strange men met at their junction, both obviously foreigners. The shorter one had blue overalls and a flat cap, but the strangest thing of all was his potato, that he held casually in his hand. The taller one, was rather gaunt looking, his dark wavy hair well past his waist and his clothes seemed to be in tatters, nearly shredded at the hems.

But this came from a person who wore an open collared dark grey jumpsuit with a hood well above her head. Huxley was no different, they did look rather shady.

"Hello friends, I'm John Steinbeck and this is my partner, Howard Phillips Lovecraft." the shorter one merrily greeted.

Huxley made a dying sound from his throat, before Yukino snorted in amusement of Huxley's reaction, flickering her head to the side in poor attempt to conceal her laughter, Huxley kicks her knee but she doesn't stop. After recovering, Huxley and the ravenette exchange nods before he turned around, grumbling something about 'Americans and their stupidity'. Lets note that Aldous Huxley, was an American.

"Well he seems like a nice person."

Yukino turns to the shorter man, before giving a faux closed eye smile.

"I would apologise for his behaviour, but he's always been like that, no matter the person."

He laughs at her joke whilst his taller companion seems painstakingly emotionless, peering down at her from his height.

"Oh, but where are my manners? Its a pleasure to meet you, Steinbeck-san and Lovecraft-san."

They set off into silence, guiding her to the other side of the city, Steinbeck chattering along the way.

"You're the black weretiger right? That's so cool. I was expecting someone taller and more stronger looking though. You kinda look like a kid."

Yukino's irritation rose at his remarks, sure she was on the petite side, shorter than many of my coworkers, but sge was of AVERAGE height, 155cm.

"How rude, I am 16 years old for your information, with the average height of 155cm. I am certainly NOT a child."

He doesn't miss a beat, as he retorts. "Only sixteen? You are most definitely a child, a short one at that."

Her eyebrows creased, before crossing her arms and daintily turning her head to the side.

'_I'm not talking to him. Not at all.'_

He laughs once again, and Yukno twitches her eyebrow in annoyance. Her height was not a laughing matter.

"Hello, old friends! Any later and I would thought you weren't going to show up."

It was that man, that man she had ran into yesterday. Now that Yukino had looked at him, he seemed rather...entitled, the embodiment of something called the American Dream, something Huxley had attempted to explain to her when she had been interested in foreign cultures. However Yukino, herself could never understand such an ideal, he seemed prosperous, perhaps his suit could equate to her entire kimono collection back home.

He turns to me, stretching out his hand for me to shake. "Good morning, friend. Are you our little tiger? Nakajima-chan?"

Yukino plastered on her best smile, giving a small nod.

"Yes, its a pleasure to meet you-"

"Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, young miss."

She couldn't help but marvel in childish wonder.

'_What a fancy name..._'

"-Fitzgerald-san." She amended.

They were situated on a strange ship, that floated amongst the clouds, which Yukino couldn't marvel at with childish glee, the fluffy whiteness almost felt tangible. But she couldn't watch them for long as Fitzgerald guided her into a heavily decorated room that just protruded the notion of wealth and privilege into her face.

There were more members there, but frankly, Yukino didn't care for their presence even after their introductions and hospitality, it had been their scathing remarks that irked her, turning their noses up high into the air. The preacher, Hawthorne , dared to critique her line of work, whilst the woman, the one that had a larger hoop-skirt than her ego was just plain haughty. There were others, she heard Fitzgerald say, they were seemed to be just operating the ship. Seeing these foreigners, Yukino could only imagine Huxley screeching and digging his fingers into his hair in frustration, in raction to these foreigners.

Her was hood had been long off, as negotiations were discussed.

"We should keep you here, under the protection of the Guild, we would not want something so important to slip out of our hands anytime soon." Fitzgerald speaks with his jovial smile on his face, that honestly felt rather fake.

Yukino tilts her head, with a closed eye smile.

"My utmost apologies, but Mori-san has already situated me another location for work after this, so I cannot stay here. However, I'm prepared to state some negotiations regarding to the circumstances."

"State your case and we will deem if it is appropriate or fiting to the situation." Hawthorne said sternly in his condescending tone that often revealed itself in most cases.

Her irritation rose again, because to him, she seemed like a incapacitated child to him and God, did she want to hook him in the face. The ravenette had felt the black tiger stir within her body, in agitation, her predatory eyes peering through her own, committing his face into memory.

The young girl takes a deep breath out of her nose. "Perhaps I could come every 3 days, Mori-san has given me a rather heavy load this time, and I would much rather leave to finish it as fast as possible."

It had seemed fair, and under the escorting of Fitzgerald, out on the bridge as a meeting point, Yukino would be able to continue working for the Mafia. But now she really needed to go, excusing herself to leave the ship. The rest of the Echoes agreed to meet back in the Mafia storage houses, that stored weaponry. On duty, Echoes had to stay out of the public eye, that was a given, sticking towards isolated areas to travel, when she had finally reached the area she had found Huxley scowling at her, tapping his foot in an agitated manner.

"You're _late_."

Yukino gave him a deadpanned stare, but said nothing walking inside to meet with the rest of the members who greeted her with a course of boring hellos.

"So what do we do now?" Yathay spoke softly, gesturing that the candy.

The candy was rather strange looking, it was the hard type of candy with clearing wrapping twisted around, however the candy had a ridiculous range of colours of green, yellow, pink and purple, kinda of like that rainbow popcorn that was sold in the supermarket to lure little kids, all the candy had a pearlescent finish.

"It looks really shady..." Yukino muttered starring at the product with apprehension.

"I'm out, I know next to nothing about drugs." Ishiguro sniffed in a haughty manner, flicking his nose aside.

"You just had your stupid nose stuck onto a Biochemistry book hours ago you idiot!" Atwood snarled at him.

"That's different!"

"Oh yeah?! How so?!"

This was a common occurrence, often did they butt heads, with Ishiguro whining and Atwood's snarling, but at least it was better than Bradbury and Huxley's disagreements.

"I think we should let Aldous-chan, taste the candy, he's the only one that has an _extensive knowledge of drugs._" Brabury called out with a sneer

Silence came after that, with all eyes on the brunette American, whose face darkened considerably, glaring at the blonde pyromaniac.

"You better shut up now Ray, if you know what's good for you."

Bradbury's grin only widened. "Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it _Aldous-chan_?"

"Bring it the fuck on, I'll crush you like the nobody you are."

As they stepped closer to each other, with the intent to kill each other,lets just say that this happened often. Locking locked her eyes with Tzu whom nodded, Tzu sticking his foot out to trip Bradbury,whilst the black tiger seeped in, with her tail around Huxley's. Pulling on it, both fell on their faces simultaneously, which Ishiguro couldn't help but snort at. Pulling themselves up, they whirled around to to met Tzu and Yukino, fuming. She felt the black tiger shake in laughter, growling in amusement within her ears.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" They coursed before turning to each other with a glare.

"STOP COPYING ME!" They yelled pointing at each other.

"We're...behind...schedule..." Fallada voiced out dreamily, staring pointedly at the wall.

* * *

Hans Fallada (20 years old), German and is most distinguishable by his silver eyes and dark blonde ruffled hair, known for his faraway look in his eyes, his eyes are often compared to the eyes of a dead fish. He often stares unblinkingly at objects unable to make eye contact with others.

His ability, **'Every Man Dies Alone'**, allows him to cloud people's judgement from fear and confusion through eye contact, victims forget who their allies are and attack their own allies in a frantic manner. He cannot direct whom his ability affects and thus attempts to avoid any form of eye contact with others until needed.

* * *

We all froze, Mori never specified the duration of a task, but efficiency was key in their line of work, testing some faulty product. Tzu turns to Huxley in an agitated manner, strange eyebrows furrowing, squashing his face in an unsightly manner.

"Well?! What are you waiting for?!"

Huxley still had that defiant look on his face, Yukino sighs looking at her co-worker in the corner of her eye.

"Come on, Huxley-san, there is harm in trying one. Its either you try one or you don't and we're all punished."

He turned to look at her with a glare which Yukino held with just as much irritation, he turned away before reaching out for the candy with a tentative hand, putting into his mouth.

Silence followed as the Echoes all stared at him waiting for an reaction, dull recognition sparked in his eyes.

"The Manchurian Angels..."

No one seemed to follow that movement of his hand as they looked at him to elaborate, but Yukino did, as his hand seemed to run over his waist in old nostalgia, it would seem something was engraved there. Although, she wouldn't bring up such matters though, it was a pact between the Echoes, it didn't matter where you were from, no matter what matter what walk of life because if you got your job done, you were valued.

They had a lead now and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Favourite? Review?

Honestly reviewing is like my drive, so please leave one, tell me if you liked it? Or not.

But thank you for reading and I hope you'll like the next chapter.


	4. Locus Solus

Huxley was oddly silent after that, his eyes jaded with a faraway look. In fact, he was silent for the rest of the day, like a machine. He lead us into the underground, but not without passing about cravings of satyrs, some old, some fairly new, for the Echoes, it was of a wake up call, they were in someone else's territory now. It was beyond the boundaries of Yokohama, within the outskirts, surrounded by over grown forestry that was off the path.

By night, Huxley was still tense in silent rage, his shoulders rigid, flashing waves of anger. The Echoes say nothing, but fall behind him within safe distance, Huxley himself wasn't frightening, it was his ability that made him, frightening. No one wanted to implode from his barrier, Yukino herself, has seen it too many times to count, you get used to it after a while. Although she still reels once a while.

The underground itself was covered by a rusty hatch and despite the Echo's efforts to creak around Huxley, Atwood had made him reach his boiling point. They took precautions with the hatch, well Atwood did.

"Offred's Will."

Her body slumped, her essence traveled into the world beyond the hatch, dark and bricked with barely any light. The atmosphere brought her unease, because although she was going somewhere, it also felt like she wasn't at the same time. As if the walls were rearranging themselves infront of her, preventing her from seeing anything. The way the walls faltered just slightly, everytime she moved, as if they knew she was there.

Suddenly she felt a sharp tug, 100 metres was her limit, she was instantly pulled back, into her slumped body.

When she had opened her eyes to see the rest of the Echoes looking down at her with expectant eyes, except Fallada of course had his eyes avoiding others. Atwood feels looked down upon, as if she couldn't do anything right. She turns away, snarling.

"No one was there within a 100 metres...but the walls...they were constantly changing, it was like that they knew I was there."

"An ability then." Tzu mused, furrowing his eyebrows.

* * *

It was a labyrinth, with many bricked pathways, Atwood seemed confused by its layout.

"It wasn't like this when I came in..."

"That's because it most likely isn't." Huxley droned with hard eyes.

The rest of the Echoes locked eyes, except Fallada of course, but they knew, they knew that Huxley knew something.

"We're splitting up... OI! Yukino lets go!" Huxley said abruptly, yanking on Yukino's wrist dragging her into one of the pathways, she could hear Tzu's agitated yells in the distance.

But Huxley doesn't stop, still tugging Yukino along, the walls continue to rearrange themselves. His rage rolls out in waves, making Yukino flinch back.

Suddenly, a bricked wall inserted itself in front on Huxley's face and he stilled, staring blankly at the wall, Yukino attempts to violently pull her wrist away and shake him off as she saw a familiar pink aura surround the brunette American forming a barrier.

"Huxley-san, please calm down, I don't think-"

"Brave New World." He growled out clenching his fist, knuckles turning white.

Earth explodes in their faces, but Huxley shrugs it off.

" We need to go, the maze will take a full minute to restore itself." He says looking at Yukino who nods.

The tiger seeps in, and all it types Huxley to do is to blink before a large black tiger appears. He gets on, hands clutching tightly into her fur and the tiger moves forward, gaining momentum. The tiger or Yukino, Huxley could never tell the difference, was often docile in her tiger form, always patient and stealthy. But Huxley has seen his partner break numerous of necks and tear limbs and bodies apart in this form. Honestly, it disturbed Huxley more than he'd like to admit.

The tiger moved quickly, faster than car, no joke, he has seen it happen. But regardless the maze restored itself and rearranged itself once again, blocking the tigers path. Skidding to a stop, the tiger whines in irritation, shaking Huxley off, she reverts back into the girl, her face deadpanned.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't fast enough,"

Huxley sighs looking at the bricked wall. "Its fine. You'd never be fast enough for him anyways."

Yukino was, really deeply offended, how dare he? She lowers her head, she'll show him! She shakes pathetically, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, letting out a few sniffles and soft cries. It certainly made Huxley do a double take.

"Shit...wait Yukino, I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. Please don't cry. Fuck! I don't know how to handle crying girls." Huxley denied, waving his hands frantically in the air.

"...Are you really sorry?" Yukino voiced out softly sniffling, rubbing her tears with her hands.

He nodded vigorously.

Yukino's head snapped up, her eyes shining with mischief and haughtiness. "That's what I thought."

She turned to her right, a new path paved by the labyrinth.

* * *

**ATWOOD AND ISHIGURO**

"I can't believe I'm stuck with you again!" Atwood scoffed, turning her head to the side.

"I can't believe I'm stuck with your nagging self, you'd think Mori would pair me with someone more of my league..." Ishiguro mumbled.

"EXCUSE ME?! YOU WANNA REPEAT THAT?!"

This was often their dynamic, and even though, the two Echoes couldn't stand each other, Mori dictated their partnership, although they didn't always work together, but often were they; stuck together.

But they were at a loss, none of them had a destructive ability, well except Ishiguro, but it certainly didn't parallel with Huxley's or Bradbury's abilities. They were at the whims of the labyrinth, following every paved path, each step with the walls shuffling around them.

"Look! There they are! Just as Uncle said!" a foreign voice said giddily.

Both of the Echoes froze, staring at each other from the corner of their eye before turning around to face two new faces, both children. The girl was obviously young, at least 10 years of age, with haunted eyes, yet a painfully cheerful grin on her face. One of them, Atwood vaguely recognised as the girl who went missing a few weeks ago, the other one? Not so much but he was significantly older, with the same haunted eyes and a suspicious stare.

"Wanders are wanders, they'll be personally dealt by Uncle. Lets go, make sure they don't get away."

With an enthusiastic nod from the girl, she situated herself behind the Echoes, ushering them forward.

"Make sure not to run away, okayyyyy?"

The two Echoes complied falling into the middle, the boy at the front and the small girl in the back. Despite their positions, Ishiguro could tell that these people were not a threat, both were built like sticks, although the older seemed to have some muscle mass, from pure labour. It was simple deductions from his knowledge of the human body.

'Now, who to start with? The boy.' he thought wickedly, he finds himself more reluctant to kill the girl, the small one, felt close to home, or him. But with the Echoes, it was usually 'Black Lizard' protocol, or kill on sight as they dubbed it.

Ishiguro looks at Atwood from the corner of his eye, her acid green eyes gleam right back at him with newfound malicious intent and her body suddenly drops with a thud.

There's a moment of panic, where all three off them huddle around her with concern over their faces. But Ishiguro inwardly chuckles darkly, it had been too easy. Atwood herself resided within the other boy, waiting for him. The smaller girl on the other hand, had her own upon his own, stupid girl, really.

Ishiguro has places his other hand on her forehead as if checking a fever.

"Never Let Me Go." he chants as his ability surges through his arms reaching up the girl's arm and Atwood's forehead. Ishiguro had sent his orders, its a quick kill, but not painless, manipulation on the neurons of the brain, causing them to self-destruct, shutting down the nervous system first and then the major body internal organs before the body fails to function. A full shutdown.

Ishiguro has done his before, many times before, he knows that Atwood will not die from it, however there is a side effect, that as a instrument and extension, she would feel the pain without effecting her real body. Both the children slump, dead. He feels Atwood's sweat under the palm of his hand, he grimaces as Atwood awakens.

"God, Margret that's gross!"

Atwood, who is still trying to maintain her breath, turns to glare at the boy.

"Oh shut your face Kazuo! I'd like to see you swap places with me, see how you fucking handle it!"

* * *

**TZU AND PIN**

"You don't think we can do this."

Tzu gave Pin a side glance before giving an agitated sigh. "The pairs aren't ideal for this particular ability."

That was true, both groups, Tzu and Pin, as well as Atwood and Ishiguro were are a disadvantage. Unlike the others, they didn't have the chance of manipulating the walls that bounded them.

The walls shifted again, Tzu observed quietly, it was as if the ability was alive itself, definitely intricate as well with Atwood's entrance before, he'll keep an eye out on the labyrinth's behavior.

The walls in a strange term, slid in walls to prevent journeying there before paving another, to forcefully direct the Echoes. The labyrinth was constantly moving with each step they took, like well oiled cogs, however this time it seemed to have made a 'mistake'. As once the walls changed again a girl's voice reached its way into the Echo's ears within a small distance, giving each other a stiff nod. Tzu flicks open his switchblade, swiping it carelessly near Pin, causing him to teleport.

Pin's teleportation was both a gift and a curse, activating on instinct rather than will. It was Pin's greatest weapon, yet his greatest weakness. But this time Pin expects it and teleports himself behind the girl, flicks out a blade of his own to hit the jugular of her neck, when it hits, her giddy voice turns into a wail, slumping lifelessly to the ground.

There is another girl in front of her, who whirls around, panic flooding her eyes, she opens her mouth to say something. But she doesn't get to, as she slumps too, from Tzu's knife.

Although Tzu already had his suspicions, this solidified his beliefs. If the maze was as complex as it presented itself, just then, for a split second it had made a mistake, gifts could not have the capacity to do that. The labyrinth lacked an autonomy, then it would mean another source of intelligence and thus the user, the human brain. It would mean that this whole labyrinth was orchestrated by a human brain, and that mistake was human error.

Such a conclusion bought a smirk to Tzu's lips, perhaps it would be a genius versus another genius. Who would outsmart the other and prevail in the end? He would say, "If his forces are united, separate them.", but now, it seemed like everything would be done for him. Handed over like a silver platter.

Just because Tzu was the ultimate tactician with the Echoes, didn't mean Pin wasn't intelligent in his own right. Pin looks at the fallen children, although he has little remorse for them, but they were skeletal, perhaps that was pushing it, but they were definitely malnutritioned. If there were children like this, there must be more, who in their minds would only have a few children, there has to be more. At least enough to make business of slave trade or trafficking. This was the Manchurian Angels and no doubt did Tzu already known, but he isn't really the one to care for these things.

But Pin knew that it will be a complete massacre once the Echoes were done, 'Black Lizard' protocol after all. He looks at Tzu with a soft curve of his lips, perhaps they could do this, after all, the Echoes were all geniuses in their own right.

"Two down."

"More to go."

Peas in a pod they were, and they were lethal.

* * *

**BRADBURY AND FALLADA**

This labyrinth was Bradbury's playground, it really was, each wall that came his way was met with a sharp challenging smile before a touch.

"Fahrenheit."

"Fahrenheit!"

"FAHRENHEIT!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Fallada shuffles awkwardly, few steps behind Bradbury, head hung lower than ever, back hunched.

"Stop...Brad...bury.."

Bradbury doesn't glance at him, but he sneers and roll his eyes.

"I wouldn't listen to someone like you, who can't even look up at me."

The blonde boy doesn't stop.

"Someone who shows up in rags, even if Yu-chan and Atwood tries to help you. Someone who can't go outside and even spare a single glance, someone who is terrified of their own ability. If it were up to me, I would've killed you on the spot."

"You can barely speak. No one wants a deformed kid like you. I bet you drove your own parents crazy, you're an omen of calamity. Yet you're nothing but a coward. A broken tool that even the best can't salvage."

Fallada stays quiet, unable to retaliate to his partners remarks, Bradbury did that often, slander about those he deemed beneath him and Fallada and Atwood had placed themselves right on top of his list. They were weak in his eyes and Fallada couldn't agree more, he has seen at first hand how people reacted upon his ability. Upon eye contact meant that comrade would turn on comrade, friend on friend, no one was safe.

The German boy continues to listen as the wall shifts, it slides and he hears a voices, both who were children.

"We found them! We found the wanders! Uncle would be so happy!"

'Poor children...' Fallada thought, they held no chance against Bradbury, who, offered a smile to the children.

"Is that so? That's too bad then. Fahrenheit."

There's a high pitched scream of agony reached to Fallada's ears, a sound that is heard often when working with Bradbury. The German boy pities the children, he pities the girl who is burning, he knows its painful, majority of the echoes have experienced in some way or form. He also pities the other one too, most certainly is in shock, they wail in agony for their companion, not that it mattered to the blonde American.

Bradbury sent a cruel smirk to the remaining one.

"Oh don't worry. You'll be next."

Suddenly a wall inserts itself between the child and Huxley, but its a lost cause as Bradbury allows the wall to explode on touch and despite the wall's efforts to protect the child, it is a measly ant in comparison to Bradbury's wrath.

Bradbury was always on the cruel side and a malignant nature that offered his opponents a slow painful death, as long as he withholds his ability, he can control its burning rate, what it burns and how it burns. He was an ever-evolving monster.

The other child burns, wailing in agony, whilst Bradbury watches in mad glee. Fallada doesn't understand it, not that anybody does. But Bradbury was the epitome of what the Echoes stood for, to hurt, with their hands. Everybody did it, they were are all drowning in blood at this point, some more than others, their hands were made to kill.

So why couldn't he do it? Be strong? like them?

"Finally come to your senses, have you Fallada? You've become a disruption to our network, a weak link. Change to benefit others, to benefit me. Change to show power."

Fallada storms forward, harshly bumping his shoulders against Bradbury's.

"No... I'll... change... for... the... others... Not... you... Never... you."

Bradbury gives an amused chuckle. "Just remember Fallada, **Happiness are for those who make others unhappy**."

They stride forward, changing wouldn't come over night, Fallada knew that much, but he'll try. If it meant not equating to dead weight on the others shoulders, he would do anything. But for now, Fallada would just watch Bradbury make more walls explode.

* * *

**HUXLEY AND YUKINO**

"Big brother Aldous! You're back!" A masculine voice called, jumping onto Huxley's back, making the American boy fall flat on his face. Huxley shakes the figure off and turns to see, what he recognises as a familiar face.

"Oliver...its been a while."

Oliver Twist, a British boy at 18 years old with brown shaggy hair and green eyes. Lean and skeletal looking, Huxley knew that nothing had changed since then.

"Ello! My name is Oliver! Oliver Twist! What's yours? Are you big brother's girlfriend?"

Perhaps, his boy didn't realise, as he rambled on, it had been in pure English, Yukino barely understood the second part.

"I-I'm Y-Yukino, N-Nakajima Yukino.."

After that it was a whirlwind of English, going back and forth as Oliver guided through the labyrinth. Oliver tries to include her sometimes, but that meant Huxley had to translate back and fourth. Yukino notes that Huxley is more guarded than ever, no waves of anger, nothing, all his answers were curt in comparison to Oliver's enthusiastic ones. The lone girl watches with predatory eyes, eyes gleaming, Yukino comes to certain conclusions.

This boy is suffering from malnutrition, or at least the aftermaths of it, despite his extroverted nature, he would barely be able to block a punch.

He had a certain urgency in his eyes, something Yukino and the other others were familiar with, the urgency to appease someone, and yet there is a spark, perhaps she was mistaken, this boy, Oliver Twist wanted to appease someone.

He was like a puppy, an eager one, wagging is tail for visitors and new-comers, in other words, he was nothing, anything but a threat.

"We're finally here! Come'on big brother! Lets go greet Uncle! Hey! Uncle! I'm back with Big Brother!"

This was the heart of the labyrinth was that of a bricked dome, hollow and in the middle of it all was an aged man, well into his fifties, stood there with a permanent grandfatherly smile on his face, a face of a lunatic.

"Ollie, mon fils, you're back! Oh my, Aldous too! Its been such a long time my boy! Let me have a long at you."

He circles Huxley like a seasoned hunter, staring at him with calculative eyes, before giving a greedy smile. The man reaches to cup Huxley's face with a calloused hand.

"My,my you've grown into a handsome young man."

His focus turn to the new face, his eyes gleaming with interest, he roughly brushes Huxley aside as if he were an old toy and walks to face Yukino.

Yukino flinches back as the man reaches out to caress her with utmost care. His eyes fixated on her face.

"Such peculiar eyes, you hold an intense gaze my dear.." The man murmured, going one step further to gently taking a side bang into his hands, feeling its texture.

"Your hair is soft too...what a fine specimen, not to mention that you're rather pretty. What's your name pretty girl?"

"Yukino."

He swoons at her curt answer and Yukino can't help but think of a certain Mafia boss and his infatuation with a certain mischievous blonde-haired girl.

"Yu-chan it is then. You're so cute Yu-chan! You sure know how to make an old man's heart race."

She recognises this situation, it is something she has encountered numerous of times in reality and re-visited in her nightmares, Yukino stands straight as a statue, she has done this many times before, keep quiet and no harm will come to you.

"Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Raymond, Raymond Roussel, mon amor."

It would seem that the Gifted user has revealed himself, now, what to do from here?

* * *

"If his forces are united, separate them." - A Sun Tzu quote.

Oliver Twist- The main character from the novel 'Oliver Twist' by Charles Dickens.

Raymond Roussel- a French author who wrote 'Locus Solus'.

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Thank you for reading! Until the next chapter..


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